| Ask a mountaineer why he climbs Mount Everest. He | | | | history. |
| will probably tell you because it is there. With a little | | | | In the same race, the sailor Bernard Moitessier found |
| probing, he will likely give you this answer. He loves the | | | | his inner calling and headed for the Pacific Islands |
| challenge and the adventure into the unknowns. Of | | | | instead of finishing the race. He is quoted in saying "I |
| course, he does not go in clueless. He trains hard and | | | | am continuing non-stop towards the Pacific Islands |
| garners the right equipment to help him climb to the top | | | | because I am happy at sea and perhaps also able to |
| of the mountain. | | | | save my soul". |
| So it is the same with these sailors. The very idea to | | | | Even today, Sir Robin is still very much involved in the |
| circum-navigate the globe is an irresistible challenge. | | | | keelboat sailing fraternity. He is key in getting the |
| The obstacles are numerous. The elements of nature | | | | Clipper race running for the past 10 years. The recently |
| can be unforgivable and deadly. The storms are | | | | completed Clipper 05-06 attracted ten entries. The |
| known to generate waves as high as five meters that | | | | only Asian entry comes from Singapore aptly named |
| can render the boat completely helpless. It has been | | | | Uniquely Singapore. |
| known many sailors had perished when hit by such | | | | There are other solo races like the Route du Rhum |
| storms. | | | | and the Vendee Globe. |
| Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is widely acknowledged as | | | | Some prefer the unconventional. Normally boats are |
| the pioneer in non-stop solo racing. He took 313 days | | | | sailed from the west to the east of the world. There |
| to complete the journey on board his boat, Suhaili in | | | | are sailors who got themselves into the record book |
| 1968-69 over a distance of 48,000 km. He sailed out | | | | by sailing against the trade winds and ocean currents |
| of Falmouth, England and back to Falmouth via New | | | | i.e. from east to the west. Chay Blyth, having dropped |
| Zealand. Then he sailed with the most basic equipment | | | | out of the Golden Globe, took the challenge to sail |
| and a boat which today only deserve a place in the | | | | non-stop around the world the "wrong way". |
| museum. He faced spells of acute loneliness on his | | | | One female sailor deserved a special mention here. |
| boat. In the storms, he was also inflicted with injuries | | | | She is Ellen MacArthur. On 8 February 2005 Ellen |
| from skin tears and broken fingernails. Though injured | | | | MacAuthur made history by becoming the fastest |
| and energy sapped due to physical exhaustion, he had | | | | person who single-handedly sail non-stop around the |
| to maintain a cool head to deal with the situation and | | | | world. The 28 year old completed the 42,000 km |
| continue with the race. It was a life changing | | | | voyage in 71days 14hrs 18min 33secs on board the |
| experience for him. He won the race for the coveted | | | | boat, namely - B&Q. The Maxi Trimaran is a 60 |
| Golden Globe trophy and more pertinently, a place in | | | | feet monohull boat. She set sail on 28 November 2004. |